Some random thoughts!

Srama · Jul 24, 2016

Dear oj-da,

No worries and no hurry at all. These are literally those - random thoughts I mean. I try not to mull over much. If it has come as a snippet, I might have been trying to get over something

But a feedback from you will be a delight! No doubt about it.

ojaantrik said: ↑

Dear Sabitha,

I read this and I am thinking. Will try to respond laer.

oj-da
Click to expand...

ojaantrik · Jul 24, 2016

Srama said: ↑

[justify]I look at my plants, indoors ones. Not the regular indoor ones but the out door ones that have been brought inside for winter and can't help but smile. This is the first year they seem to be thriving and my MIL's plant is even flowering, 3 flowers a day! If you are wondering about MIL's plant, well I have this habit of keeping a plant that my loved ones who have passed on, loved and everyday as I water them or pick flowers, I pause to smile thinking of them. Crazy no? But it has helped me over the years. So as I look at the three flowers, I tell my husband hurrying out for the day "Look your mom is blessing us! The plant has never flowered in winters!" for the nth time looking out of the window. The day looks bright and sunny and I wonder about the emails that I received about the cold temperatures.

As I continue to look out the window I wonder if my choice of staying indoors instead of running is a wise choice. Not running is never a wise choice only because one always comes back feeling, "I am glad I came out to run". You know it is kind of doing a good deed. One never repents it. And then how many times I show up in the crazy temperatures, be it for a run or gym and always hear from the coach that "You are doing awesome. Look you showed up when every one else is still sleeping!" It is supposed to be inspiring and I don't know how I have felt hearing those words. I am mostly that personalty who does something only if she wants to. Then why do I feel the guilt today? I 'wanted' to stay home, by choice and for many reasons including wanting to sleep in. I wanted not to run!

As I walk the dog out I feel the bright sun, the white snow making it even brighter and feel the chill in the air and the ice on the ground. I am still wondering if I should have gone for the run and cannot help but tell my mind to STOP. I am trying to convince myself that it is okay. It is okay to be easy on myself and wonder as to what is it about me that I have to convince myself to let go and enjoy. Why can't I apply the same logic i.e.,it was my choice not to run and take it easy. Perhaps one of the reasons is not going will come back biting. But I will learn to cope. After all there is no agenda tied to in that running schedule for now and this year anyways!

Letting the dog play out side more, I am enjoying the day and then my mind is back to those emails again. I chickened out from the run because of the emails. They were only meant to be helpful and informative asking to layer up, chap stick handy, moisturizer on face, halls in the mouth and some more in our pockets. Now I wonder suddenly if that is the case most of the times. The fear of what is ahead is actually worse than the future itself. The emails were only doing their job of alerting us but the future reality may not turn out that way. Look at the day today. Given, it is brutally chilly but that run would have felt better in such a picture perfect day.

As my mind goes through two or three events into the future, I realize "The future may not be that bad after all!" There is always that Sun shining making it all alright and moreover how many times have I not heard that one's present defines their future. When information comes our way, it is best to take in and enjoy the decisions we make. The information like those emails is only trying to help and be alert, not asking us 'not' to look forward to the future. So I ask my higher self to help me keep that in perspective and then I come inside for a warm cup of coffee, pick those flowers and offer to God in gratitude.[/justify]

As I go through the day, I see a yoga pose aptly modified from "Warrior pose" to "worrier pose" I cannot help but smile about the truth. I realize that except when I am on the mat, I am constantly in this worrier pose and staying too long in any pose does hurt. Time to get out is all I tell myself again and trying to bring it to practice, at least for a minute a day!

PS: This is what happens when I miss out on a run on a cold chilly bright February morning :biggrin2:
Click to expand...

Dear Savitha,

The formatting for this post needs to be redone by the techies at IL. Not too important a matter I suppose.

I am still trying to figure out how to get to the essence, unless of course it is truly a collection of random thoughts.

I notice the mat as well as the running in the cold that would have kept you concentrated on a purpose. I am not sure which is more important, the mat or the running. Perhaps they are equally important.

But you have decided not to pay attention to them and the decision gives you a feeling of guilt. Yet, you appear to be happy with your guilt feeling. For it is teaching you to enjoy the moment. The email warnings distract you from the sunny moment, but you are quick to figure out that the future is in the future and the sunny moment is now, with its three flowers and a happy memory.

It is such a lovely post! I wish the "kill yourself with worrying" philosophers were to read it. They might end up learning not to put up advertisements in newspapers asking you not to be happy. "Don't enjoy the moment" appears to be the message. "Don't enjoy now, then you will enjoy the future." This appears to be the doctor's prescription. Save all your earnings now, then you will end up with all the wealth in the world fifty years later. You may not be happy, but you'll have enough money to pay the doctor's bills.

But that dog is playing merrily in the snow. Thank God, it's not human.

oj-da

padma0604 · Jul 24, 2016

ojaantrik said: ↑

Dear Savitha,

The formatting for this post needs to be redone by the techies at IL. Not too important a matter I suppose.

I am still trying to figure out how to get to the essence, unless of course it is truly a collection of random thoughts.

I notice the mat as well as the running in the cold that would have kept you concentrated on a purpose. I am not sure which is more important, the mat or the running. Perhaps they are equally important.

But you have decided not to pay attention to them and the decision gives you a feeling of guilt. Yet, you appear to be happy with your guilt feeling. For it is teaching you to enjoy the moment. The email warnings distract you from the sunny moment, but you are quick to figure out that the future is in the future and the sunny moment is now, with its three flowers and a happy memory.

It is such a lovely post! I wish the "kill yourself with worrying" philosophers were to read it. They might end up learning not to put up advertisements in newspapers asking you not to be happy. "Don't enjoy the moment" appears to be the message. "Don't enjoy now, then you will enjoy the future." This appears to be the doctor's prescription. Save all your earnings now, then you will end up with all the wealth in the world fifty years later. You may not be happy, but you'll have enough money to pay the doctor's bills.

But that dog is playing merrily in the snow. Thank God, it's not human.

oj-da
Click to expand...

oj garu,

Savitha's post was wonderful and so is your comment !!

Such delicate and delightful thought ..a thin, fine line between the present moment and the future...and how wonderfully she caught the 'slipping into the future mind and brought it back to the present' - I felt very happy to see her come back to the moment, and felt happy to see your reflections upon the same.

I remember Omar khayyam :
"Waste not your Hour, nor in the vain pursuit
Of This and That endeavour and dispute;
Better be jocund with the fruitful Grape
Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit."

Srama · Jul 24, 2016

Dear Oj-da,

What a fabulous feedback! I agree that IL has to do something about formatting. Cheeniya sir tried hard back then, but I guess it was the transition time and it is what it is! Second as for the essence of my post, the only person who eventually comes around is Satchi @satchitananda. She will agree with you whole heartedly and as for me, I will jsut say it was an effort to clear the fog in the mind. Now that I have read it a couple of more times, I know why I wrote it and am glad I read it again

As I drive up and down taking kids to their various activities, I am always struck with an emotion I cannot describe when I see a huge hoarding advertising "Are you ready for a calamity?" I am not making this up. Agreed they are only trying to make you do something but should it always be by tapping into that sense of fear and insecurity? Somehow we are taught to live with this sense and I feel that about God too, teachers punishing students etc. Why instill fear to get somebody's attention. Parents of course assure me that they will not consider it a punishment but only a consequence for the job not done. I am still struggling with this part of my job. There you go, I am off with my random thoughts.

Coming back to you and what you said, this here is the most amazing insight you have drawn for me from my random thoughts

ojaantrik said: ↑

I notice the mat as well as the running in the cold that would have kept you concentrated on a purpose. I am not sure which is more important, the mat or the running. Perhaps they are equally important.
Click to expand...

How true! Both of them are equally important and if I let me goal be sidelined because of an email predicting my future, there is no one to blame but me! Oj-da you have no idea how I had here this today again. Thanks to @padma0604 and you, universe in its own sweet way has brought it in front of me, again! Thank you!

ojaantrik said: ↑

But that dog is playing merrily in the snow. Thank God, it's not human.

oj-da
Click to expand...

Now this here is nothing but the truth! That little puppy simply looks ino my eyes, reads them and decides either to lay at feet waiting for me to chirp up or simply lay there!

Srama · Jul 24, 2016

Padma,

I have to agree with you about Oj-da's @ojaantrik comment! I have been in IL for a long long time and there are only a few writers who can do this and Oj-da is certainly one of those. I consider it my fortune that he stepped into this post, more importantly it looks like I needed to read and wonder about this post again!

Thank you for your warm words and I cannot thank you enough for reviving this post. It has brought me back to that present, again!

padma0604 said: ↑

oj garu,

Savitha's post was wonderful and so is your comment !!

Such delicate and delightful thought ..a thin, fine line between the present moment and the future...and how wonderfully she caught the 'slipping into the future mind and brought it back to the present' - I felt very happy to see her come back to the moment, and felt happy to see your reflections upon the same.

I remember Omar khayyam :
"Waste not your Hour, nor in the vain pursuit
Of This and That endeavour and dispute;
Better be jocund with the fruitful Grape
Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit."
Click to expand...

satchitananda · Jul 24, 2016

Sabitha, I don't remember whether I read this post earlier, but I don't see my FB here. Maybe I read and forgot to respond, or read but was going through one of my mental shutdowns or maybe I missed the post altogether.

As usual, I enjoyed the description to the extent of shivering while reading. The Mid-Western cold transmitted itself to my mind after all these months. I could see the snow lying around in my mind's eye and wondered how you run when it is snow. Then I told myself the snow is probably cleared off the streets really fast and felt amazed at the efficiency of public services.

Srama · Jul 24, 2016

Dear Satchi,

satchitananda said: ↑

Sabitha, I don't remember whether I read this post earlier, but I don't see my FB here. Maybe I read and forgot to respond, or read but was going through one of my mental shutdowns or maybe I missed the post altogether.
Click to expand...

Doesn't matter. How does it matter? Here you are now
I tell you it is so easy to get addicted to running in the snow. In fact I prefer it over this intese heat!

satchitananda said: ↑

As usual, I enjoyed the description to the extent of shivering while reading. The Mid-Western cold transmitted itself to my mind after all these months. I could see the snow lying around in my mind's eye and wondered how you run when it is snow. Then I told myself the snow is probably cleared off the streets really fast and felt amazed at the efficiency of public services.
Click to expand...

As for cleaning we all know life must go on. The question is how? efficiently or otherwise and we all make choices But in truth it can get very bad here and we are better off taking care and cleaning up. And even then we are all solely responsible for our safety on the streets and no question about the efficiency - I have begun to realize it is just a principle of being respectful of our stuff, even if it is only stuff!

satchitananda · Jul 24, 2016

And even then we are all solely responsible for our safety on the streets and no question about the efficiency - I have begun to realize it is just a principle of being respectful of our stuff, even if it is only stuff!
Click to expand...

You said it. In fact that was my first instinct when I read about running in the snow. Sure, it would be enjoyable to run in the cold than in the heat, but the slippery roads could be pretty treacherous!

parineetha · Jul 25, 2016

Not even a month ago, a blue Clitoria plant (Aparjitha/sangu pushpam) was gifted to me. Like, I love it so much, I wanted it so badly and DH surprised me one day.

My bad, it started to wilt after a week, blame the extreme summer and my carelessness. I should have moved to the shadier side or asked my friend to water enough when we were out for that weekend. It was dying. Though it made both of us a little senti, I had strong hopes of having a new plant with the few pods of seeds still hanging down from the wilted plant.

After all, its me who wanted it desperately and DH bought it for me with so much of love, how can I let it go? So is everything in life right, no matter how scary/hopeless the present seems to be, we still gotta hope with all our heart, whatever the future beholds will be just fine. I only say heart, coz it doesn’t rationalize like my silly mind. I’m desiring with all my heart and I’m only trusting the future is listening too.

Today when I see three of four little shoots peeping their head out of the seeds, so fragile yet thriving so hard to get a hold of its place in the earth, what more assurance do I need? With all I happy feel I again hear you say so emphatically “ the future may not be that bad at all”. I’m convinced.

Thank you Sabitha, beautiful post it is, to remind ourselves of all good things that come around with just a seed of hope.

Srama · Jul 25, 2016

Dear Neetu,

You bring out two valid points to me and reminder I so needed - that we are desiring with our hearts and trust the future to listen to it and two, all we need is to sow those seeds of optimism and hope for the future! Thank you.

I am glad that your plant is sprouting again. You know for the longest time, one of these creepers would climb up ty patio and assuming it to be a weed, I always pulled it out till one day I saw a flower in bloom and looked it up to realize it was this plant. Thank you for for your feedback Neetu, it is so touching.